Throughout the Berner Fasnacht a variety of troupes with painted faces and colourful costumes parade through the UNESCO-listed old city. Many of the troupes, each with a troupe leader and players touting brass and drums, play well known pop tunes from years gone by - all in a unique Fasnacht style. All troupes are guaranteed to be dress in colourful costumes and painted faces - and the town is quite, quite alive.
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Mark Sukhija is a travel and wine blogger, photographer, tourism researcher, hat-touting, white-shirt-wearing, New Zealand fantatic and eclipse chaser. Aside from at least annual visits to New Zealand, Mark has seen eclipses in South Australia (2002), Libya (2006), China (2009) and Queensland (2012). After twelve years in Switzerland, Mark moved back to London in 2012. You can follow Mark on Twitter or Facebook